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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Underweight

21 replies

Curlykirsty · 31/05/2007 20:09

I'm sure that this has been discussed lots but my 17 week old ds is classed as being underweight. His weight flucuates, having lost 5ozs this week.

He was born on the 50 centile but has been stedily droping towards the 2nd, ending today below this.

He is predominately bf with some ff. As we have both had problems with bf I express his feeds so I know what he is receiving. He is happily taking 3, 7oz feeds with a bf, from both breast, as well. He sleeps all night, seems very strong, is happy and doen't cry for feeds.

My gp refered me to the hospital, where the paedatrician seemed happy with him but he has continued to lose weight.

My HV has suggested dream feeds but as he weaned himself off these I don't want to have to start them again. It has started to worry me. I don't know what to do for the best.

OP posts:

NAB3 · 31/05/2007 20:15

Just keep offering your breast as much as you can and remember the charts in the red book are based on formula fed babies from the 60s. If a peadiatrician is happy then I would go with them and not the HV.

Original poster

Curlykirsty · 31/05/2007 20:20

I have tried never seems overly interested.

OP posts:

NAB3 · 31/05/2007 20:21

Is he more interested in a bottle?

Original poster

Curlykirsty · 31/05/2007 20:24

Not really. Have tried introducing a couple of small feeds inbetween his others he takes them but it takes a long time

OP posts:

NAB3 · 31/05/2007 20:28

have you tried spacing out the feeds so he takes a full feed, and offer both sides?

Original poster

Curlykirsty · 31/05/2007 20:33

He takes one 7oz bottle at 7am and another at between 11 and 12. I then bf from one side at 15 and the other about 17. He has his last 7oz bottle at 19, then goes to bed and sleeps through till 7.

Have tried introducing 4ozs at 9am, when he wakes from his morning nap and another at 16 between the 2 bf as I'm worried he's not getting enough from me.

OP posts:

NAB3 · 31/05/2007 20:41

The more you FF the less you will BF. Are you happy with that? What does he weigh now at 17 weeks and what was his birth weight?

Original poster

Curlykirsty · 31/05/2007 20:44

Most of the bottles are expressed breast milk and not ff and as we've both had problems with bf I'm happiest doing this.

He weighed 8lb 3ozs at birth and now weighs 11lb 11ozs

OP posts:

NAB3 · 31/05/2007 20:48

Oops. Sorry about that, I thought you said FF.
Great birth weight!! My first son was 6lb 12.5oz at birth (born 38weeks by c-section) and was 16lb 6oz at 16 weeks 3 days. On that basis your baby doesn't seem to have put much on but then I was feeding my son every 2 hours pretty much and he has always loved his food. It is hard to say as all babies are different but I do think you shouldn't worry too much if the paed is happy. I would just keep on with the feeding as often as you can and may be not weigh for a week or two. You will be able to feel if he is losing weight.

NAB3 · 31/05/2007 20:51

I am off now but I hope I have helped a bit and that someone else maybe able to help you more.

Original poster

Curlykirsty · 31/05/2007 20:53

Thanks for that. I think it's just nice to have someone different to chat to about it, all my friends babies seem to be pileing on the weight esspecially the boys and I feel a bit out on a limb.

I will continue to try and feed him when he'll let me.

OP posts:

jj131 · 01/06/2007 09:23

curly -- Don't worry, you're not the only one! I have a little boy, about 20 weeks, who has gained weight very slowly his whole life. He was also born at about 50% and is now at about 5%. Many of my friends also have big whopping boys (and girls) but if you look around you'll be reassured by how many petite ones are actually out there.

tiktok · 01/06/2007 10:07

NAB - charts are not based on ff babies from the 60s. The UK charts are based on several data sets of babies whose feeding is not differentiated. Also not a good idea to space feeds out.

Curly. it is odd that your baby is actually losing weight, but if his health is good, then the answer is more breastfeeding - as much as you can fit in including waking him up at night, IMO. 4 feeds a day is only ok when a baby's weight is not an issue.

Hoe things work out.

Original poster

Curlykirsty · 01/06/2007 10:23

He weaned himself off the night feeds and just wasn't taking what we tried to give at night so we stopped and he happily sleeps all night. I would have thought that a baby who was hungery would wake and/or cry to be fed.

OP posts:

tiktok · 01/06/2007 10:27

Some babies are happy not to be fed as much as they might need, though, curly....if the weight is concerning you and the doctors, then feeding in the night is one good way of ensuring he gets more to eat.

NAB3 · 01/06/2007 12:11

tiktok: The charts must have change then as it was a well known fact that they were based on the babies of the 60s who were formula fed. As for the spacing the feeds out, that was to make sure the baby was properly hungry and would therefore take a decent feed. Lots of little snacks won't help if he is only getting the foremilk.

tiktok · 01/06/2007 12:29

NAB, the charts in the UK have never been based on formula fed babies of the 60s. I think you must be confusing this with charts used elsewhere. Charts in current use in the UK were published in 1990 (they are called 'UK 90') . They do not differentiate between formula, breast or mix fed. None of the babies in the data sets will have been born in the 60s.

It is also unhelpful for a mother who may need to get more calories into her baby to 'space them out' to make sure her baby is properly hungry. You have misunderstood foremilk and hindmilk, and while what you have said is a common suggestion, it is not based on good knowledge of how breastfeeding works.

Spacing the feeds out - and the OP is already feeding no more than 4 times across 24 hours, with a long 12 hour gap overnight - will reduce the milk available and risks reducing the amount of milk that goes into the baby.

I am sorry to correct you in this way, but you came back at me still sure you were right....and so I have to reply in more detail!

NAB3 · 01/06/2007 18:29

I am always happy to learn!!

smallone · 01/06/2007 18:49

You're not alone NAB, I was told by my HV the reason my dd appeared to not be gaining weight was because she was plotted on red book charts which are based on formula fed babies. She showed me a breast fed baby chart which has a curve which starts off slower and then catches up later on.

I agree with feeding more often. I had low supply in the early days and was advised to spend as much time in bed with dd as possible. me topless and her in just a nappy so we had lots of skin contact to promote feeding and I had lots of rest to help milk supply.

I understand the need to know how much he's having but you can never express as much as he would get from you himself. I bf as much as poss all day as well as expressing and then gave whatever I'd expressed in a bottle at the end of the day as a top up.

cazee · 01/06/2007 19:31

My HV told me at the last weigh that the charts were based on formula fed babies, and I wanted to say "oh no, you are wrong about that, Tiktok says that they are based on a mix of babies", but I realised that there was at least a small chance she may not have heard of Tiktok....

Original poster

Curlykirsty · 01/06/2007 20:00

I know I can't express as much as he would get but as we've both had so many problems with bf, this way seems to suit us both best.

If I don't express the 7oz required for a full feed I top them up with formula, therefore I feel he is getting the best of both worlds.

My HV has also shown me the alternative chart and told me that the red book is based on ff babies, but my ds wasn't doing very well on that one either.

OP posts:

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